Argentina launches its first home-built satellite

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-10-16/argentina-launches-its-first-home-built-satellite

by patomolina • 12 years ago

87 15 12 years ago

pibefision• 12 years ago

Well, this is propaganda. What exactly is an argentinian sattellite? Almost all the parts are from Japan and outsourced to Europe (http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/09/26/ciencia/1411754613_66353...)

droope• 12 years ago

Just to clarify, the quoted article says:

Todo esto es habitual. Prácticamente ningún país del mundo dispone de la tecnología necesaria para construir un satélite “100% nacional”.

"All of this is normal. Practically no countries have the technology needed to construct a satellite that is "100% national"".

Furthermore, the article quotes an article by ARSAT itself, where it clearly states what parts are to be outsourced.

http://www.arsat.com.ar/novedades/arsat-awards-contracts-for...

Unfortunately I can't translate that because I don't know how to translate the technical terms (even though I am a technical person myself, I don't know the terms mentioned there, I assume because they are particular to satellite development), although it mentions a hardware component and the space "payload"

aortega2• 12 years ago

Well it's like buying a 0km car VS buying generic parts and building it yourself. It's not that easy.

Htsthbjig• 12 years ago

Well, it is pretty easy. I have one car that I assembled myself with the help of a mechanic.

You can buy cars in pieces from several UK companies. And I have to say it was easier than I thought it was going to be.

In fact, it was probably too easy. I am engineer and used to do things myself. Making my own OS with gentoo when you had to compile everything yourself was way harder and longer than assembling the car.

leoedin• 12 years ago

It would be a huge feat to actually develop from scratch a reliable satellite of this scale domestically. Developing a satellite or satellites would be doable - there's a number of startups which have developed smaller satellites from scratch (although generally the people involved have experience working for the big western contractors) - but you'd need to start small and work up.

It is true that this appears to be mostly an assembly of other people's technology, but then that's true of almost every large scale system. Most aircraft makers only actually build the shell and assemble it all, the rest of the sub-systems coming from numerous suppliers.

In this case Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space (both European companies) appear to have provided most of the satellite systems, with the system engineering level design done by INVAP. I'm not sure where it was assembled - possibly also Argentina? It's worth noting that the Systems Engineering component is no easy feat, and if they have done it then they do deserve significant credit. Ultimately no company anywhere in the world is completely vertically integrated - there will always be suppliers.

Zigurd• 12 years ago

It may be propaganda, or at least an exercise in national pride, but it's not without substance. Developing high tech aerospace guidance systems without critical outside help demonstrates the ability to reach strategic technology goals independently, and therefore the ability to operate autonomously. National autonomy is, for some nations, a valuable goal.

sreejithr• 12 years ago

What's the use in reinventing the wheel anyway? I doubt anyone could pull off a geosynchro satellite from ground up without hit and miss with a number of smaller satellites.

I'm thrilled about how it would empower a lot of people in Latin America. Better communication for Antartica is a bonus. I hope it sets an example for the rest of the nations there.

Daishiman• 12 years ago

I know people involved in the design and programming of the control software.

Specifically for the people who are asking: the control software task is custom-built and brand-new, which is a pretty distinguished feature. The testing facilities were made from scratch; the assembly system, according to the necessary standards for geosynchronous satellites which operate outside of the Earths's magnetic field which protect LEO satellites from radiation, was also new. The components, while outsourced to the few entities on the planet with the necessary know-how, were built according to the INVAP's (the agency responsible for the project) own specs.

Integrating these systems, which are not built as turn-key solutions, is still an extremely complex affair and requires a high degree of knowledge and understanding of aerospace technology. This is some very talented and skilled staff working under the guidance of domain experts.

From this link: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/10/arsat-1-argentina-com...

"The desire to develop the capabilities went so far that, while the computer module was supplied by Astrium, the whole software was written from scratch by local contractors. Or, in the case of the AOCS system, the main computer, and both ACE (the Attitude Control Electronics) and TCE (Thruster Control Electronics), as well as the whole attitude control system and algorithms were developed at INVAP.

The distinction between the supplier of the off the shelf parts – and the specification, validation and integration of components and software development into a whole system – is very important. As a result, it can be considered a 100 percent INVAP product."

There's also experiments of the energy agency's custom-built solar panel technology, used for LEO satellites and now being experimented on this orbit. The plan is that this tech will continue to be developed and used for future stuff.

An interesting fact is that the reinsurance policy for the satellite is the cheapest ever for one on a geosynched orbit, which implies that the testing protocol made for this has been extremely sound, and thus the quality of the engineering.

The city of Bariloche, where much of this work was based, is also known for having the state's nuclear research and manufacturing industry, which has built and exported several commercial nuclear reactors.

sebastianconcpt• 12 years ago

Do anybody knows what is in the software? like which languages were used on it? or other technical feats?

squozzer• 12 years ago

Hola Argentina welcome to the space club.

robomartin• 12 years ago

Having lived in Argentina for a number of years it is my opinion that the country has and produces really amazing talented individuals in the sciences. Regrettably, more often than not, this talent has to leave the country in order to be recognized and flourish. The opportunities in a country like Argentina are slim.

There's a dichotomy at play that is, well, sad:

Government in Argentina has been corrupt in more than one form (nepotism, theft of national resources, buying elections, exclusion from the law, oppressive, etc.) for generations.

It's a strange form of socialism where the masses live in progressively deteriorating socioeconomic conditions yet they keep supporting whoever promises a solution even though everyone knows once they achieve power they'll focus on stealing millions from the country rather than to truly help improve it.

Yet, somehow the country seems to be able to produce outstanding talent in certain domains.

And the culture is absolutely fantastic. Warm and caring people with high family values.

An Argie professional I know likes to say: "Argentina is a nice country to have come from".

I also know someone who used to be in the Argentinian equivalent of the US Secret Services, in other words, working inside government at the highest levels. The stories are, well, jaw dropping, to say the least.

And so, in this context, yes, it is really amazing to hear that Argentina can produce something like this. Surely it has to be 100 times harder than anywhere else.

gtirloni• 12 years ago

It looks like these days the real challenge is in launching the transport vehicle without it exploding. Few countries have the technology for that.

Congratulations to Argentina, it's certainly a great achievement.

Argentina launches its first home-built satellite

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